You’ll find the complete list, with links, at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check them out, because they deserve your support, and most of them give away swag and/or books. As will I.

It may sound a bit like preaching to the choir, because I suppose if you’re reading this at all you’re not the one this international event is aimed at. In fact, it says a lot about the sorry state of human society that such a day is still necessary.I’m lucky enough to live in a country where the discrimination against same-sex couples marrying and adopting was thrown in the garbage bin of history thirteen years ago. I am all the more astounded when I read about the abuse of gays in a rather civilized country like Russia. I am appalled that gays are persecuted, and even risk their life, in countries like Nigeria and Uganda. I’m equally devastated when I read that American parents throw their often under-age children on the street because they’re gay. I simply can’t understand how you can do that to your own flesh and blood. In my opinion these monsters don’t deserve to be called parents, and can only be called human by applying the term in a strictly biological sense.

I think there are a few things we can do against this evil.

One is what I am trying to do now. Heightening the awareness that homophobia and transphobia are very real problems that affect hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings. And we can all do that to a certain degree.

A second, in my eyes, very effective method is standing up when you encounter instances of homophobia and transphobia. This could take the form of publicly denouncing — as loud as you can or dare — those inhuman savages who throw their children out for being gay or transgender, at the same time making a cruel mockery out of everything that parenthood is meant to be. It could also mean talking or mailing to friends and family members to convince them not to vote for politicians with a homophobic or transphobic agenda.

A third, very long-term solution, is better education all around. Make people think. Make them think correctly and make them think for themselves. They will be less likely to be deceived by the evil siren song of those who can’t stand other people being happy in the way of their own choosing.

And you know what? They and their criminal intentions can’t survive in the cold light of reason, nor in the warm light of love. In the end they’re doomed to a hell of their own making.

Meanwhile, I fear, it’s not farewell, but just goodbye. We’ll meet again in 2015. The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia will still be necessary. But we can hope just a little bit less so.

And now for a chance to win that prize I promised.

In my series Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse I have tried to create a world where being gay doesn’t matter all that much. I’ve also tried to create characters who will stand up against oppression and injustice.

I’m giving away three sets of the first two ebooks of the series (Bonds of Hate & Bonds of Fear). If you have read the opening trilogy, but not the sequel quadrilogy, you can choose to receive those first two ebooks (Gambit & Castling).

To be entered in the drawing, please comment about what you plan on doing or will continue doing against homophobia and transphobia.

This contest ends midnight May 27th, 2014 PST.

The winner will be announced in a separate post after the 27th, no later than the 29th.

If you see your name among the winners, please contact me throughthe form on this site. Basically you’re sending me an email, but only I will be able to see your email address. Which is handy, since I will have somewhere to send your prize. Please, don’t forget to mention which set of ebooks you’d like and whether you want them in mobi (kindle compatible) or epub format.

42 Responses to Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014

I also live in a very LGBT-supportive country and am amazed and outraged when I encounter news of what you mentioned. My tolerance of bigots is zero and I probably come off as aggressive when I take up defense. It makes me angry to the point of tears to see how so many people truly believe that they’re doing the right thing by fighting against LGBT rights.

All I can do is continue to shine a light on the injustice, take part in online discussions, donate bits of my income and organize and take part in the HAHAT.

I’m also participating in the Hop, and I’d like to do more of one of the things you mentioned in your post: speak out when I encounter homophobia/transphobia. Believe me, I’m no wallflower, but there are some occasions when I let ignorant comments pass by. I notice this on the train, usually coming from a pair or group of young men throwing around the “f” word or “that’s so gay.”

I find when I do speak up in those instances, people are embarrassed and apologetic (which is exactly how they should be). I think they assume they can talk that way because there’s no LGBT people around; so it’s a nice reminder to them that we’re everywhere.

I’m not the kind to go and protest. Confronting people who have a specific mindset doesn’t work except to make people angry. If someone did need help, I think I’d offer it. Also just by being me, someone who’s accepting, people could learn through my example. So I guess the answer is ‘just by being me.’

A fantastic post. Thank you for being a voice in HAHAT. It’s mind boggling sometimes how far a individual(/s) will go to fight against rights that all individuals are entitled to just because of that persons sexual orientation.

There was an article in today’s paper about LGBT issues around the world, which was informative, but the implication was “things are almost fixed here in the US,” clearly not true. (Even in San Francisco, a girl at a parochial school was excluded from her high school yearbook photos last week because she wore a tuxedo instead of a dress–the administration claimed it was purely dress code, but she is LGBT, and her classmates saw it as an act of discrimination and protested it as such.)

It’s important to be out. These days some are luckier in that respect than others, as there is tremendous variation in respect for human rights from country to country.

While I certainly don’t fear imprisonment, I would like to be able to marry my partner as we have been together for almost 20 years, which is certainly longer than many multiple-marriage heterosexual couples. Yet I should not be forced to uproot our lives and move to a different state in order to do this.

Terrific post, Andrew! Love this paragraph: “They and their criminal intentions can’t survive in the cold light of reason, nor in the warm light of love. In the end they’re doomed to a hell of their own making.” Sadly, I fear we will see each other at this time again next year, but it warms my heart to know people like you exist and support our hop against the prejudices engendered by phobias. Rock on!

All of the different religions around the world say that people supposed to treat everyone with kindness love and respect, so I can’t understand why parents would throw their own child out of the house just because of their believes.

I’ve noticed that the men in my family seemed to toss off the phrase “that’s so gay” . I’ve started calling them on it. And you know what? My young niece told her dad “that’s not right!” And he agreed with her. So I’m just trying to change things in my own family.